Miami Dolphins at Oakland Raiders
where to start? first of all, i’ll have to tell you that i’m not a big fan of
the oakland raiders, i will have to give credit where credit is do, oakland does
have a good football team, but I kinda like miami’s chances in this game. first
of all, oakland has not played great football at the end of this year, may i
remind you of the loss to the seahawks. and after a week off, the raiders will
be well rested, but the dolphins are on a huge high after their overtime win
over the colts, i look for the raiders to come out dull, led by their veteran
QB, who i will deem rich ‘rusty’ gannon for this week’s game, i believe he will
not be well enough prepared for the high caliber defense of the miami dolphins.
i also look for dolphins RB lamaar smith to have another huge game, of about 150
yards or so, and if jay feidler is decent, I look for the dolphins to maybe even
upset this raiders football club. but even with all the confidence miami brings
into this game, i’m afraid i’m still gonna have to pick the raiders to win, they
are just too well balanced on both offense and defense. but if miami can
establish any type of passing game early on in the day, look for an upset, maybe
again in overtime. another bit of info to take a look at is that miami is 3-0
against the raiders since 1997, but i still like the raiders in this one…
FINAL WORD
Miami 20
Oakland 24
New Orleans Saints at Minnesota Vikings
this game looks to be a very promising one, the vikings faulted at the end of
their season, losing 3 in a row, and costing them home field advantage
throughout this years playoffs, very disappointing. And the new orleans saints
certainly impressed me last week, in their brutal mauling of the rams, who I
picked to win. However, with injuries to the saints three top stars, in ricky
williams, jeff blake, and the always productive joe horn, the saints could be in
a bit of trouble. also, with homefield advantage, I think minnesota can run away
with this one, especially in the first half, look for big days from carter and
moss on the offensive side of the ball, I wouldn’t be surprised if caulpepper
has a big day passing, maybe 400 yards, I don’t think the vikings will attempt
to run the ball much, against the saints tough run defense. but hey, the vikings
have survived on passing all year, look for them to do it again. Even with a
big day from QB aaron brooks the saints will still have a tough game. If the
saints defense can hold caulpepper and the vikings offense to under 21 points, i
think they can pull it off, but honestly, i don’t think they can…
FINAL WORD
New Orleans 17
Minnesota 31
Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants
even with philadelphia’s impressive win over the bucs last week, i still don’t
believe they have much of a chance over the giants. the eagles are a good
football club, don’t get me wrong, but i don’t think they can compare with the
new york giants’ ability to play both sides of the ball so well. this one
should be a blowout. As a coach, jim fassell brings the confidence every team
wishes they could have, when the man guaranteed a playoff appearance, tthat’s
what he meant, and that’s what he brought to new york. i wouldn’t be surprised
if he guaranteed as much as a super bowl appearance. cause with the kind of
football the giants have played as of late, I don’t think anyone in the nfc can
compete with them, when they one out the last 7 of their games, they really
showed me something. expect a big day passing from kerry collins and the giants
receiving core, and also from the giants big play defense, not to mention their
spectacular special teams play. even if donovan mcnabb has a career game, I
don’t think the eagles stand a chance…
FINAL WORD
Philadelphia 7
New York 28
Baltimore Ravens at Tennessee Titans
ah yes, my favorite game of the week, tennesee, rated best team in the afc, with
a 13-3 record, impressive in almost every aspect of the ball. However, on the
other hand, there are the ravens, the football club with without a doubt, the
most dominating defense in all of football, led by ray lewis, the best LB in the
game. i expect big things from both him and the entire ravens defense come
gameday. look for the titans to go to eddie george a lot, do to their weak
passing attack, they’ll probably hand the ball to him 40 times, but the ravens D
will most likely shut him down, for less then 100 yards rushing. also, if trent
dilfer plays as sharply as he has been playing, the ravens offense can be really
tough. also look for ravens return man jermaine lewis to have a huge game, he
has been a big factor in the ravens preformance the whole year. RB jamal lewis
has also been playing great football all year, so look for him to break 100
yards for the day. i guess we’ll just have to see what air mcnair can manage
against this unstoppable raven D. i am going to have to give the ravens the
edge, and i’m gonna have to go out on a limb and say that the winner of this
game will take the afc with ease. in the end though, i like the ravens over the
titans, in a good game…
FINAL WORD
Baltimore 21
Tennessee 18
